Was fatally-injured inmate 'restrained' or beaten at Pa. county jail?

Updated June 12, 2018 at 8:53 AM;Posted June 12, 2018 at 7:54 AM

Family members of Shaheen Mackey, 41, said doctors told them "his organs were already starting to shut down" when he arrived at the hospital Wednesday evening after just five hours inside the Luzerne County jail.(screen shot via The Times Leader/Twitter)

Shaheen Mackey, 41, spent just five hours inside the Luzerne County Correctional Facility - but whatever occurred during that brief time cost him his life.

As the Citizens Voice and the Times Leader report, an investigation is now underway to determine what occurred after the Berwick resident was detained on an alleged protection from abuse order violation and transferred to the Luzerne County jail last Wednesday.

By Wednesday night, Mackey was rushed to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital with what his family describes as catastrophic injuries.

Mackey's daughter told the Times Leader doctors said "his organs were already starting to shut down" when he arrived at the hospital.

Mackey died at hospital about 8:30 p.m. Friday, his daughter said.

By that time, Mackey was no longer under prison custody because a judge had lifted his order in the case.

The Citizens Voice reports county officials, in a written statement, said Mackey suffered a medical emergency as he was being restrained by corrections officers in his cell.

The county statement reads in part:

At about 6 p.m. that day, corrections officers were called to Mackey's cell block after he started to behave aggressively.

The officers were forced to restrain Mackey in order to defuse the situation.

While he was being restrained, Mackey required medical attention. Jail staff members administered CPR and called for an ambulance.

His family said Mackey was prone to seizures, but they were never life-threatening.

The county district attorney's office is now investigating the case, and jail officials are cooperating, having turned over video surveillance footage and statements from the corrections officers involved, the Citizens Voice reports, adding:

An autopsy Monday on Mackey was inconclusive, with authorities unable to determine the manner and cause of death.